Hand wheeled land vehicle



May 8, 1951 w. PINTAR 2,552,453

HAND wrm-:LED LAND vEHcLE Filed Feb. 13, 1948 2 shetssneet 1 E y Flei May 8, 1951 w. #INT-AR HAND WHEELED LAND VEHICLE z sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 13, 1948 Mmmm..

A Patented May 8, 95

i HAND WHEELED LAND VEHICLE William Pintar, Antwerp, Belgium, assigner of one-half to Rolland Raymond Rork, North Vernon, Ind.

Application February 13, 1948, Serial No. 8,172

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a perambulator for carrying a child and parcels. More particularly, it deals with a combination baby carriage and stroller or wheel-chair for a child, having facilities for carrying parcels such as those accumulated while the guardian of the vehicle and child is shopping.

An obj ect of this invention is to produce a new light, strong, economical, roomy, comfortable, easy riding, safe, infant carrying vehicle `which may be used over a comparatively long period of a childs infancy up until the child is able to Walk considerable distances.

Another object is to produce an infant carrying vehicle which may be easily changed from a baby carriage into a stroller or vice-versa and includes suflicient room for the carrying of parcels.

Another object is to produce a plastic streamlined infant carrying vehicle with individually resiliently mounted wheels and with a demountable and portable sun top.

In accordance with this invention the convertible perambulator comprises a rigid iiat horizontal base frame, preferably made out of light strong metal, to which separately resiliently mounted wheels are attached and a pushing handle. Upon this base frame is mounted a lower body portion in the form of a childs chair and to this lower body portion a streamlined frontand--side portion is removably attached.

The base frame preferably is rectangular in shape and has a vwheel mounted at each corner, each suspended on a helical spring guided by a tongued and grooved telescopic cylinder. On the lower cylinder of each is mounted an upwardly extending goose-neck carrying the axle for the wheel.

The outside of the lower body portion is preferably made of plastic which may be moulded from a powder or from a sheet of plastic material, and comprises an outer convex back yv/all and parallel pockets and skirts along each side of the base frame for the wheels. The inside wall of the upwardly extending back is preferably made of plywood covered with a layer of cushioning material covered with a waterproof material. The lower body portion also comprises partial side walls extending partly the length of the vehicle and providing rarmrestsfor the chair assembly of which the back wall forms a seat back. 'The pusher handle extends from the base frame outwardly and upwardly behind this back portion. The interior bottom of the vehicle between the parallel pockets for the lwheels is preferably provided -wth a mattress which is foldable at its center, so that it may be made of double thickness at the chair assembly end to form the seat portion for said chair.

The outside of the upper, or front-and-sides body portion, is preferably also made of plastic and streamlined with convex exterior walls which extend down to the lower edge of said lower body portion. Its inside walls may be made of plywood covered with a cushioning material with a waterproof outside covering. Between theweonvex walls of this upper portion and the inner plywood walls is a space which may be used as a parcel carrying compartment, and access into which may be through doors placed in the top exterior convex plastic walls. Over the top of this upper body portion there may be provided the commonly known type of sunshade and also an additional canopy mounted on a collapsible frame lwhich may be readily demounted and stored in one of the parcel carrying compartments.

The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the perambulator of this invention employed as a baby carriage.

Fig. 2 is a side view, with a corner broken away, of the perambulator shown in Fig. 1 when employed as a stroller.

Fig. 3 is a side View of the upper body portion of the perambulator which fits on top of the lower portion shown in Fig. 2, to convert the stroller shown in Fig. 2 into a baby carriage as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the perambulator in Fig. 2 showing the base frame.

Fig. 5 is a detailed side view of the perarnbulator shown in Fig. l 4with parts broken away.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the perambulator half in section taken along line 6 6 in Fig. 5..

Referring to Fig. l, the perspective view of the perambulator as a baby carriage shows the upper or front-and-side body portion III, with the conventional collapsible topi I I, mounted against the lower or back-and-base body portion I2, which in turn is mounted on the base frame I4 (invisible in this figure but shown in Fig. 4). To this frame are mounted the wheels I 5 and the pushing handle I6. In the sides as well as in the front of the convex streamlined body portion IIl may be provided doors Il and I 8 kwhich open into one or more parcel storage compartments, between the 3 Astraight inner walls forming the baby carrying compartment I9 and the outer convex walls shown.

In Fig. 2 there is shown in side elevation the perambulator of Fig. 1 with the streamlined upper body portion I0, together with its sun top II, removed (and only shown in Fig. 3). Fig. 2 shows the integral back 2U with the lower body portion I2 and the skirts 2| which form pockets 22 (see also Fig. 4) for the wheels I5. These pockets 22 comprise partial upwardly extending interior sides 23 with outwardly extending tops or shelves 24, before extending downwardly to form the skirts 2l. In addition, the interior sides 23 extend upwardly above the shelves 24 adjacent the back 20 to form armrests 25 for the chair assembly and may have widened outwardly extending top surfaces 26 for the arms. These armrests 25 and sides 23 aid in maintaining and supporting the back 28 of the lchair assembly. The sides 23 also form a bottom compartment 21 in the portion I2 closed at the back by the back portion 2li and at the front by the wall 28. This compartment 21 is of Vsufficient depth to maintain a mattress 29 which is divided into two or more parts so it may be doubled back on itself or folded together, to form the seatof the chair assembly between the armrests 25. v

To clarifythe formation of the chair in Fig. 2, there is shown, in dotted lines, a child sitting on the double thickness of mattress 29 and the child may be held in position by a strap 3l (shown in dotted lines) which may be attached tothe back 26 or armrests 25. From this View there is sufficient room in front of the childs feet for the carrying of parcels (shown dotted at 32) which are retained from sliding out of the carriage by the upwardly interior extending sides 23 and the end wall 28.

Referring to the streamlined upper or sideandfront body portion Ill shown in Fig. 3, its interior wall is cut along the dotted line 35 to fitv over the top interior edges of the armrests 28 and on the shelves 24. Along the lower edge 35 of this wall, there may be provided downwardly extending pegs 35 which lit into holes 31 in the body portion I2 for ,holding the portion I0 in place thereon. Similar holes 38 maybe provided along the bottom outside edge of the skirt 2I to co-operate with pins 39 along the bottom edger of the outside convex wall of the body portion III. Further on each side at 40 andY on the. front bottom atlll', may be provided manual hook fasteners which co-operate with hooks 42 and 43, respectively, on the lower body portion I2, to clamp the streamlined portion I8 in position when the perambulator is to be used as a babyrcarriage. These clamp hooks may be of the type employed on suitcases which may readily be released when desired, but rmly hold thev portions together when in use.

Referring to Fig. 4 which is a bottom view of the perambulator shown in Fig. 2, the base frame I4 is shown to comprise two steel or light metal plates 45 and 45 parallel and transverse of the carriage and reinforced by parallel and crossing strips 41 and 48, respectively. The back plate -45 may be provided` with extensions 49 to which the ends I) of the pushing handle I6 may be. bolted or welded. These ends 50 extend through holes 5I in the lower portion of the convex wall of the back 20 and then extend upwardly and backwardly to form a pushing'handle at the normal waist height rabove the ground.

This pushing handle member I6 may be formed of metal tubing and may be chromium plated if desired to improve its appearance. Instead of the open horizontal flat base frame I4, a solid metal plate may be employed, however, such a plate materially increases the weight of the vehicle. In the pockets 22 between the wheels I5, there are preferably provided reinforcing ribs 52 for the skirt sides 2 I vAt each end of the transverse plates 45 and 48, are mounted the individual resilient supports 55 for the preferably rubber tired wheels I5. Y

These supports are more clearly seen in Fig. 5 and may comprise two telescopic cylinders 55 and 51 having respectively groove and tongue connections 58 and 59 to prevent their rotation. These cylinders may be surrounded by a normally extended helical spring 68, fixed at its ends to plates 6I and 62 respectively upon which the cylinders 56 and 51 are also i'lxedly mounted or welded. If desired, the helical spring 68 may be inside the telescopic cylinders 55'and 51 withoutvdepa'rting from uthe scope of this invention. The upper plate 6I of the assembly 55 may be welded to the members 4:5 and 46, or they may be attached by bolts 55 which may also hold one end of the spring 60, the base frame I4 (or plate `45), the lower body portion I2, vand also a reinforcing bottom 55, such as of plywood, for the bottom of compartment I9 and 21. The bolts 81 which fasten the ends of handle I5 to the extensions 49, may extend through one or more of the lower body bottom portions as the bolts 55. The lower plate 62 of the wheel mounting assembly is provided with an outwardly and upwardly extending goose-neck section 18 (see Fig. 6) upon which the axle and hub of wheel I5 are mounted. This upwardly extending goose-neck 10 venables the carriage to be supported closerv l to the ground, thereby lowering its center of gravity and decreasing the possibility of it being tipped over.

As shown at the left end broken away portion of Fig. 5, the walls of the baby carrying compartment IS are substantially straight and vertical and may be composed of plywood boards 15, the interior side of which is provided with a cushioning material 1-1, -sufch as a heavy layer of felt, to protect the infant from bumps, which cushion is preferably covered with a water-proof flexible material 18, such as oil cloth, plasticized fabric, or the like. Similarly, the 'front of the baby carrying compartment I8 on the upper body portion III has a 'vertical wall 85 of plywood with interior padding 86, covered with a suitable waterproof material 81.

In the front section in Fig. 5 at the point 35, the front wall is offset to` provide a lower extension 88 to reinforce ythe front of bodyV portion IU and also to `act as a closure for the front luggage or parcel compartment space Sil, Vaccessible through the'door- I8. This door, as the doors I1 on the sides, may be provided with one or more hinges 9I at its lower edge, and a simple snap or other fastening vmeans 92 at its upper edge which engages an extension 93 from the interior of the upper `convex exterior wall of the body II). rIhe outside of the door I8 adjacent the fastening means 92- may carry a handle 94 by which the door may be opened.

Around the inside ofthe upper rim of the body portion II] is preferably provided reinforcing strips or blocks yIIJ!) and IIICI, such asKof wood, into whichthe supports for the collapsible shade II, an additional sun-shade |85, may be rigidly vthe baby carrying compartment |9.

anchored. The former shade may comprise the known type of collapsible buggy shade which is pivoted at |06, is provi-ded with radially extending ribs |07, and a toggle lever arrangement |68 which when bent in the direction of arrow |09 will cause all of the ribs of the shade li to fold down against the upper front rim of the body portion i0, and not extend out over the same. On the toggle lever |08 is provided a smooth limiting plate i I@ with notches (see Fig. 6) to prevent the toggles |08 from bending beyond the position shown in Fig. 5. All of the ribs of the hood l are covered on both sides with fabric H2 to prevent the infants lingers from being caught and pinched by any of the ribs therein.

In Figs 5 and 6 there is shown an additional demountable canopy or sun shade |95 comprising two inverted U-shaped metallic ribs i i5, each of which can be broken or pulled apart at its top center at i l 6 (or may be pivoted there if desired) so that they may be collapsed and stored in one of the side parcel carrying compartments in the upper body portion i9 through door Il. Over the top of these ribs ||5 an additional fabric or the like sunshade il'i may be attached by means of elastically mounted hooks H8 to further shelter The ends ||9 of arms ||5 t into holes |25 and |26 in the upper rim of body portion i0, below which are provided reinforcing sockets |27 and |28 which may be mounted in the previously mentioned blocks |66 and IBI, respectively.

In Fig. 6 a different type of means |30 for latching the door l T is shown, which comprises a pivoted handle with inwardly extending arm I3| which may be turned over the overhangng upper edge |32 of the convex side wall of body portion I0. Thus this type of means |30 may be used instead of type of means 92-94, if desired.

Although the present disclosure provides for plywood and plastic body parts, the whole device may be made of plywood or of plastic, as desired.

While there is described above the principals of this invention in connection with a specific embodiment, it is clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a hand wheeled land vehicle for carrying a child and parcels having a base frame, wheels mounted on said frame and a pushing or pulling handle connected to said frame, the improvement comprising: a lower body portion mounted on said frame and having a horizontal floor, upwardly extending walls around said oor to form a tray-shaped compartment for a mattress, outwardly and downwardly extending skirts extending a substantial distance below said cor along opposite sides of said tray-shaped ccm-- partment whereby said skirts form parallel channels covering at least half the outside faces of the wheels of said vehicle, and an upright baci; and wall extending above said tray walls to form the back of a chair assembly; and an upper body portion having two parallel side members and a front member connecting adjacent ends of said side members, each of said side members comprising two substantially spaced side walls between which parcels may be carried, said side members resting along said tray walls of said lower body portion, and said front member overlapping the front of said lower body portion,

2. The Vehicle of claim 1 including` aligning pins and clamping means at the contacting edges of said upper and lower body portions whereby said upper body portion may be detached from said lower body portion to form a stroller of said lower body portion.

3. The Vehicle of claim 1 wherein .said chair assembly includes arm rests connected to said vertical back wall of said lower body portion.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein said upper body portion comprises vertical interior side walls and convex exterior side walls having an aperture to provide a parcel carrying chamber between said interior and exterior side walls.

WILLIAM PINTAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are oi record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

